Automatic train-pipe coupling



- July 12 1927.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING Original Filed Nov. 22. 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR M BY WhMfix ATTORN EYS.

' 1,635,345 J. ROBINSON July 12 1927.

J. ROBINSON AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING S Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Nov. 22. 1920 lNVENT'OR M ATTORNEYS.

- I 1,635 345 July- 12,1927. J. ROBINSON I. T

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE COUPLING Original Filed Now/.22. 1920 :s sheets-sheet I INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 12, 1927. p

iitissis p JosnrH ROBINSON, or NEW YORK, N..Y. f

AUTOMATIC, TRAIN- ren oonr'riine.

Application filed November2 2, 1920, Serial No. 425,765 Renewed November 12, 1925.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic train pipe couplings, and has among its objects to provice an improved train pipe coupling in which 'no rubber or fabric hose is used to convey the train pipe to the connector. Experience has proved the rubber hose, commonly used for this purpose, to be unreliable and comparatively short-lived; In addition, it is ekpensive, and is apt to burst at any serious consequences. An automatic train pipe coupling in which no rubber or fabric hose is used, 18 free troin'these objections, and produces a construction of great de pend-ability and lasting endurance.

lVith'this and other objectsin View my aists in the combinations, ar-

iii'iprormeuti con. raugen'ients, and constructions hereinatter described, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of my im-' provement showing a portion ot the usual car coupler C, and a part 0t the usual metallic train pipeF. Y

Figure 2 is a sectional plan View through my improvement, showing in elevation a portion of the metallic train pipe Figure is it"fl'Ollt View of my improvinentt-akeu on Figure 1- 's a rear-view of the bracket member B of my improvement showing a portionthereof in section. I Figure) a rear View of the ballmemher and its flange of the universal joint of my improvement.

Figureo is a rear view of my improveinent taken on the line 66, Figurel and showing a part of the'bracket B broken away, and

Figure 7 7 is an enlarged detail taken approximately on the line 7+7 of Figure 4 and showing the shape of the bracket B atthat point.

Btei'erringnow to the drawings: My invention comprises the usual coupling head A, in whichis suitably mounted any desired form of gasket 8, which pro ects slightly in advance of the coupling face of the head, and is adapted to make a butt. oint with a complementary The, coupling head B is. provided with a shank or nipple 9, threaded as shown, par

iicularly in Figure 2. A hollow member or tiuid conduit 10, 1S threadingly connected at its forward end to the shank 9 of the the fluid from 7 time with service position.

the line 33 of Figure 1; a

gasket in a counterpart head.

coupling head, and terminates its rear end in a semi-spherical or ball portion, or

bearing, 11 adapted tofitwithiii a comple mentarily shaped enlarged head or socket 12 ot a second conduit or member 'lhe'connection between the ballor bearing member- 11, and the socket member 12* must, of course, be fluid tight and to this 1 end I mount in the socket 12, a suitable an-f "nu'lar packingli, the inner face of which is formed to snugly 'receive the ball '11" of the memberflt), as shown particularly 111'- Figure 2;

fit within grooves 16 of thebracketB aiid"I which in-co-o1: e'ration with such groovesf serve to maintain the] socket portion in the The bracket B comprises a one piece member terminating at its upper end in ears 17 which suitably span the usual lug 18 on the coupler" C, and a e clamped thereto as by bol-tsf19, The lower end of the bracket is providedwith a rectangularly shaped opening 20,; Figures 3 and 4, formed witht'wo of its-diametrically opposite corners disposed ,on, substantially the'vertical center line of the bracket, the bracket is, also provided with a rearwardly ext-ending projection or yoke comprising spaced straps 21, which terminate at their]- rearend in a threaded collar 22. The ribsf may, of course,beconnecte d with the bracket B, and with the'collar 22, in any suitable manner, but I preferably form them inte; gral therewith. i

As will appearffromFigures'l and 2 the fluid conduit or pipeqlO projects through the opening 20 in the bracket B and is' provided with a flange or projection 23, preferably formed integral with the pipe lOand adjacent the semiesp herical or ball portion- 11, which flange normally engagesand bears upon the rear faceofthe bracket B asiat- 24, Figures at, 6 and The socket por- 1 tion or head 12 liesbet ee-n the'straps 21.. o of the bracket, and has a shank 13' which it extends rearwardly from an annular-shoulf der or seat 25 formed on the rear side of. the member or socket port1on12.;

Within, the1co1lar 22 1 adjustablyiinount, .1

as by threads as shown, a chamber or sleeve D of any desired shape, preferably cylin drical, the sleeve surrounds the shank 13 and slidingly receives the'same, and is open at its rear end asshown in Figure 2. Projecting through this opening into the SleBVerI provide a metallic nipple 26, and this I sur- 2 round With a suitable packing 27 Which as shown in Figure 2 bears upon"a taper'ed"seat 28 at the rear end of the s'leeveand serves. v to prevent the fluid in the sleeve from escapf v ing around the;nippl e 26- EXtGIIQllIlg-iIOHL this packing forwardly I provide a thimble or'iollowjer29, each end of Which-is taperedsas SllOWIlfll? The forward end of thenthimble surrounds the shank 13 of the member: 12,and; abuts; a suitable packing 31 which j surrounds the shank 13. of the member '12.? Abuttingthe-ii'ront face of the packing 2311 provide a spring seat or gland 32-, the rear, endof which has a tapered face f33adapt'edito bear upon the: packing 31, as? shown. Bet eenthe/sea't; or gland32 and ztheeannulanseat "ot the: member 12, and

surroundingthe shanka13, I m-ount a cylindricalibuffer springE which serves toproject v the member 12 into tight 7 engagement Withthe balllportion 11' of the p pipe 10 and to maintaini the flange 23 firmly but yieldingly, pressed againstthe rear face 24 of the bracket B, and thus. yieldingly sustain the coupling-head A at-the limit of itsforward movement, and! in the. normal horizontal position, ThespringaE is, ofcourse,'normally under suflicient compression for this purpose, which compression may be increased or decreased byrotatin'gthe sleeve or stufi ing box Dlforward or backthrough the medium,

offlafl wrench or other means applied to the hexagonal. or other .suitablv. shaped resistanceof the springgE is not only directbetween the partsof the st-uflingbox D; and.

ed to the purpose oi'yieldingly supporting.

the coupling-,headIA, but also to the functionof placing the packings 27 and 31 of thestutfin'g box Dand the packing 14- of the universal joint formed bythe ball and socket members .11 5 and 120i my improvement, un"

der constant pressure. It 'servesalso to automatica'lly adjustithese parts to compensate for the Wearoccurring inservice, and thus efficiently} maintain a fluid "tight connection the,aforesaid"universalv joint, at all times. Their-joint formedlbythe sleeve D and the parts operating Within it, may be regarded as; an expansion" joint since its principal function is to permit of linear movement bee tweentheshank13:,and the n-ipple26 without the escape ofQfiuid from the thimble 29; The

shank .13 i providedat its forward end Witharaised portion 34 adapted, in co- 7 operation withflthe fiang'e 35 of the seat or gland .32 to ghold the springf E out of contactw'ith' the ishank during this movement, and thus a'void objectionable WQZIIYOII the shanklz'.

n will be understood"that the train ipe Fmaybe ofany desired form, and may lead 'fro'm'any portion of the car to the nipple v por- 601F134 thereof. It will be observed that the 26-ofmy improvement The sliding joint formed between the nipple 26 and the sleeve or stuiting; box D, allows my improvement to accoinmodateitself to the relative move} ment. between the car coupler and the car occasioned byfthe running in and out of the cars in service, Whilethe joi-ntQformed by the packing 31 and the shank l permits the :coupling'head A tomo ve longitudinally of the .car coupler the. extent required 'to TIheuniversal movement necessary to adjust; the coupling head A to the various angular positions it must'assu-me in service, as aforesaid,. isfreely permitted by the uni versal joint formed by the members 11 and ill ' lace-thes rin B under orooer com Jression.

12, the packing 14 thereof serving to reduce the frictional resistance to tlUS 'movementf Thus I provide a simple and eflicient auto 'matic train pipe couplingsin whichzthe use joint of my improvementproduces a par-' ticularly efiicient, simple, and effective eX- ically packthe stufling box and the universal pansion joint construction which requires the I minimum amount of upkeep attention, and

'lll'WlllCh the possibilityoi'theescape of fluid due to -a poorly or infrequently packed joint is entirely eliminated.

The various parts of my invention are, of

course,\so prop'ortioned'and' arranged as to allow are readily accommodate itself to" all the positions required by service, and so as to permit of ready and simple assembly What I claim is:

1. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the

combination wvith a coupling head and a suitable supporting bracket tl1'erefor,fof.a universal." joint for yieldingly supporting said head for. free universal movement rela tive to the bracket, said joint comprising a plurality otflexibly connected metallic fluid conduits lying substantiallyin the horizontal plane, one'of said conduits being connected with said coupling head and movable uni-c versally therewith relative to the other con- 7 duit and to said-bracket, and-each of the conduits vbeing shiftable longitudinally of the bracket, said conduit which is connected to the head having a part adaptedto contact with apart of the bracket for naintaining' the head in position to engage a matingj head, andyieldable'means.forholding said parts together When'the head. is freefroni a mating head. u

2.-In an automatic-train.

pipe coupling, the combination ot a. coupling head, a

bracket, and a hollow universal jointshiftable longitudinally in the bracket andserving to permit universal movement of said head and to conduct a fluid thereto, said head having a part rigid therewith and arranged to contact with a part of the bracket for maintaining the head in position to engage the'mating head, and 'yiel-dable means for holding said parts together whenthe head is free from a mating head. i

3. In an automatic train pipe coupling,

the, combination of a coupling head, a bracket, a hollow conduit connected with said head and extending rearward thereof to said bracket andserving to conduct a fluid ,to the head, a projection on said conduit adapted normally to rest against said bracket, a second conduit upon the forward end of which said first mentioned conduit may move universally, and aspring for maintaining said conduits in engagement with said projection bearing upon said bracket. 7

I. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling head, a

bracket, a hollow conduit connected with saidhead and extending 1f2lTWaYlly thereof to said bracket andserving tocoiiduct a fluid to the head, a projection on said conduit adapted normally to rest against said bracket, 21 second conduit upon the forward end of which said first mentioned conduit may move universally, and a spring for maintaining said conduits in fluid tight engagement with said projection bearing upon fltilCl bracket. i v

5. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling head," a bracket'at the rear of said head, a conduit connected with the headland extending through said bracket to the rear thereof and serving to conduct a fluid to said head, said conduit comprising a plurality of members connectedv together by a universal joint which permits universal movement to said 'coupling head, one member of said joint being provided with a projection which normally bears against said bracket to limit the forward movement of the coupling headrelative to the bracket, and meansfor yielding ly maintaining said projection in such engagement.

6; In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling head, a bracket, a fluid'tight universal joint shiftable longitudinallyrelative to said bracket and adapted to permit free universal move ment to said coupling head and to convey a fluid thereto, means co-operatingwith said joint to yieldingly support the head, an expansion joint, and means between the expansion joint and said universal joint to autoniatically pack both of said joints.

7. In an automatic train pipe coupling,tlie combination of a coupling head, a bracket, a fluid tight universal joint shiftable longitudina-lly in the bracket and adapted to permituniversal movement to said head, said joint comprising a ,plurality of fluid conduits mounted for relative movement and having communication with said head and serving to convey a fluid thereto, one of the conduits being provided with a socket and, another with a portion fitting said socket and movable there n, a second oint at, the rear of said universal joint, and means between said J universal oint and said second oint adapted sustain said coupling head, a second conduit one end of which is mounted on said bearing and relativeto which end said first mentioned conduit and said coupling head may move universally, a second joint comprising a sleeve and the rear end of said second conduit, a suitable packing for said second joint, and automatically acting means between said packing and said bearing for exerting pressure upon both the bearing and thepacking to pack said joints.

9. In an'automatic train p pe coupling,

the combination of a coupling head,

bracket having an opening in its lower end,

a plurality of fluid conduits'connected bya universal joint which joint lies atthe rear of said opening and is adapted to move away from the opening and to permit universal movement to said coupling head, one of said conduits being connected with said head and serving tosupport the same in front of said bracket and a second one of which conduits extends rearward from said univer-j 'sal oint, a train p1pe, an expansion oint connecting said train pipe and, the rear wardly extending. conduit, and means be tween-the expansion-joint and said universal joint for packingthe joint and for yieldin l resistiii :movement of said'coullinva: t

head. 7 -c 10. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling head, a

bracket having a perforated lower end and a perforated projection connected with suclt. end, an expansion JOlIlt mounted in the opening in said projection, a conduit ,ex-

tending into said'expansi'on joint. andp'ro5 ecting forward thereof and having a bear-' mg, a fluid conducting member mounted on said bearing for universal movement. therethe opening in the lower end of said bracketv and into engagement with said coupling I head, a packing for said bearing and said on and extending forward thereof through "a perforated projection connccted'with such end," an: expansion joint" inountedin! the opening in said projection, a conduitextend ing'into said'expansion joint and project ing forward thereof and having" a bearing, a fiuidconducting. memberm'ounte'd onsaid bearing: for universal'movement -thereon and extending forward thereof through the open ing'ill the'lower end of said bracket and intoengagement with saidcoupling head, a packingfor said bearing and'saideX- pansion joint; aspring interposed'between' fthe bearing and the 'expa nsion joint to exert pressure on said packing and to yieldingly' sustain saidcoupling head, andmeans for varyingfthe pressure of said spring."

12;111 an'automatic train pipe coupling,

the combination of a coupling head; a-

bra'ck'et having'a perforated lower-end and a perforated projection connected with such i 0i11to'sa id expansion joint and projecting to end,"an expansion jointimountcd in the opening in said pro ect1on,'a conduit extending ward thereofandflhaving when-1 mm ii'id' conducting member mounted on said' bearinn for universal movement" thereon and extending forward thereof through the op en ing in the lower end of said bracketand into engagement with saidfcoupling head, a suitable packing for said bearing'an-d-saidlexpansion' oint, a spring interposed between the bearing and the expansion joint ,to -eXert I 40 pressure on said packing and to'yieldingly sustain said coupling head,- and means for" varying the pressure of 'said spring; said means comprisingv an adjustable connection" betweensaid expansionjoiiitan-cl said 'pro'-' jection whereby the expansionjoint maybe} adjusted forward or backward to increase-or decrease the compressioniof said"spring.

13. In an'autom'atic train'pipe coupling, the combination of a coupling head carry ng a gasket adapted to engages/gasket in a counterpart head,- a bracket, a fluid tight universal .joint carriedby said bracket and adapted to convey'a' fluid'to said head and to permit universal movement of the head, an expansion joint, a packing in eacli offsa'id' 'oints and a common resili ei'it means for l, i 1 pie o;'sa1cl packingsand' said gasketrunder i pressure-and for yieldingly sustaining-said" s coupl ng head.

the combinationof a couplingt head, asupporting brackettherefor'open'at 1ts lower [14.111 an automatic train pipe coupling,"

-end,1a" yoke extending rearwardly' of'th 'ebracket from said lowerjend and terminating in" a collar, a un versal joint "comprising a" tending, member, a train-pipeeXtendin into V said-sleeve,- a suitable packing for said un iversal joint and saioksleeveg and resilient means interposed between said sleeve and said universal joint for maintaining said pa'eking in fluid tight relation to said joint and said sleeve.

15; In an autom'z'rtic :train pipe coupling,- thecombination of coupling heath-sup; porting means I for said head including a bra'eket'open at its lowerend, a yoke extending rearward'ofthe bracket from said'lower end and terminatin'gin a collar, auniversal joint comprising a ball and socket resting normallyat the rear of said opening, a member 'connected to said ball and extending through said openingdnto engagement with said' coupling headfor directinga fluid to the head, a fluid conduit extending rearward from said socket into said collar, achamber' surrounding the rear end ofsaid conduit and adjustablymounted in the collar, atrain pipe extending into saidchamber, a suitable parking in "said HIllVGI'SRl joint andsaid chamber, and=means formaintaining said' packing in fluid tight'relation to said joint and said chamber, said means comprising a spring interposed between said chamber and said universal oint and surrounding said conduit and tending constantly to exert pressure upon-said "packing whereby the packing is automatically adjusted to compensate for Wear occurring thereon, the extent of-suoh pressure being. variable by rotating the chamber; i

16. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination of couplinghead, a bracket having an 'opening in its lowerend,

a chamber connected with said bracket andlymgat the rear of said openlng, a fluid con du -t comprising fl'pfllY'OlE metallic pipes the opposing ends of'whichlare joined by a universal joint which serves to convey a fluidv to said-'boujalihg head and to permit'universalmovem'ent to the head, one member of which conduit extends through theopen-- ingin' said bracket and the other member of' which extends rearward into said chamber'andhas fluid tight reciprocal connection therewith. V 1

17 In 'an' automatic train pipe coupling, in combination, a bracket, a coupling hea a fluid conduit connected lies-aid head and extending rearwardly past-said bracket, a

second conduit connected to said first conduit, sa d firstv conduitbeing movable uni versally relative to the second conduit, said conduits being shiftable rearwardly relative to said bracket when said head is coupled with a mating head, and a spring for yieldingly resisting such shifting of said conduits.

-18. In an automatic train pipe coupling, in combination, a bracket, acoupling head,

a fluid conduit shittable axially in said bracket, a second fluid conduit connected to said head and extending rearwardly thereof and pivotally connected to said first con-' duit, said second conduit having a portion adapted to contact with said bracket and a spring for yieldingly resisting the axial shifting of said first conduit and for holding' said portion of said second conduit against the bracket in the normal uncoupled position of said head.

19. In an automatic train pipe coupling,

in combination, a coupling head, means for 1 supporting the same for universal movement,

said means comprising a conduit shiftable axially in said supporting means, a second position of the head.

20. In an automatic train pipe coupling,

in combination, a bracket having at its lower end a horizontally arranged portion, a conduit slidably supported in such horizontally arranged portion of the bracket, a coupling head a conduit connected thereto and extendingrearwardly and connected to said first named conduit so as to have universal movement 'relativeto said first named conduit, said first named conduit having a por tion adapted to contactwith a portion of said bracket, and a'spring for resisting slidable movement of said first named conduit in the bracket, said spring serving'to normally hold said contacting portions of said'second conduitand said bracket together.

2-1. In an automatic train pipe coupling, the combination, of a coupling head, a bracket having an opening, a 'conduit connected to said head and extending'rearwardly' i into the opening in said bracket, a second conduit slidably mounted in said bracket, said conduits being connected to each other by a universal joint, whereby said head is r universally I relative to said" :tree to move bracket. a t

22.- In an automatlc train plpe coupling,

the combination of a couplinghead, abracket having an opening therein, a conduit con nected to said head and' extending rearwardly into said opening, a second conduit slidably .mounted in said bracket,- a coiled spring surroundingsaid' last named conduit and normally pressing the same toward said head, said conduits being connected to each other by a joint which permits universal movement of said head relative to said bracket. i

In testimony whereof I hereby aflix' my signature,

. JOSEPH RoBiNson; 

